John Loughnane has dedicated his life to help shape Clonakilty into the vibrant and welcoming town it now is.

‘THERE must be a way around this.’

That’s a saying that John Loughnan was known for during his banking career and that’s what has made him such an effective person in getting countless projects over the line in his adopted home town of Clonakilty.

These include being involved in developing its GAA facilities in Ahamilla, nurturing the town’s incredible Tidy Town’s success and the development of the Model Railway Village 30 years ago.

John has recently been honoured with a Cork Person of the Month award in recognition for his contribution to his community and while he’s grateful for it, he’s at pains to say he only played one small part.

‘It’s a bit like being a football player, you have to position yourself in the right place to get the ball and I was always lucky with the people around me and their can-do attitude,’ he said.

He’s an adopted West Cork man having grown up on the Lower Road in Cork city. When Cork Savings Bank opened its first West Cork branch in Clonakilty in 1981, he came as its manager having transferred from Clonmel – and never left.

He retired from the bank in the early 2000s and worked with Sherry FitzGerald in West Cork until 2008.

‘Then I was approached by the late Joe Walsh who was agriculture minister at the time to stand for the town council elections which was actually a terrible time to be standing for that party, FF, and to be a former bank manager!

So I was fortunate to get elected in 2009, and I remained in that position until 2014 when town councils were abolished,’ he said.

John maintains that was a ‘terrible move for local decision making.’

‘People who went forward for election didn’t do it for the money but for pride of the town they lived in – in fact myself and my colleagues in Clonakilty would have done the job for nothing if we were asked.

It meant there was a connect between the people who were making decisions on Cork Co Council and people living in the town, and it was a bad day for local government when that ended. I honestly don’t think we’ve fully recovered from it. Our towns are the poorer for not having them.’

In 2011 he was the town’s mayor and in an incredible coincidence, was elected 100 years to the week after his grandfather John Maher Loughnan was elected mayor in Killarney.

Among the many projects he’s been involved in over the years was the development of the town’s GAA facilities at Ahamilla and it’s something he’s hugely proud of.

Despite growing up near the historic Glen Rovers hurling club John never played, but joined the Clonakilty club when he came to the town and was secretary for 10 years and is its current vice chairperson.

John Loughnan and Noreen Minihan at a mayoral changeover in O'Donovan's Hotel, Clonakilty

‘It was a seismic move to Ahamilla from O’Rahilly Street and we’re so lucky we did it to cater for our growing population – when I came here it was under 5,000 and it’s now heading towards 6,000.

It’s just so gratifying to go out any evening  to see such a hub of activity – and it’s the same at the rugby club in Shannonvale. My only regret is that I’d like to see our soccer club owning their own facilities one day soon, as they also provide a great service to the youth of the town.’ 

He was a founder member of the Model Railway Village, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and was involved in his capacity as a director of the Enterprise Board.

He’s an active member of the local Tidy Towns committee and was on Knockseagh NS board of management for 14 years during which time the school got funding for an extension to replace portacabins. 

John’s children didn’t even attend the school which is a further display of his giving nature.

He was also honored with a Conradh na Gaeilge award for his promotion of the Irish language. He  developed his love of Gaeilge in school and tries to speak the language daily. His grá for Clonakilty is evident. 

What’s the secret of the town’s trailblazing reputation? 

‘When I came here in the 1980s there was a recession and a lot of unemployment and the town closed on a Wednesday. There was a movement of people going to Cork to do their shopping, and I remember sitting around the table with our progressive and inspiring parish priest at the time, Mons Michael Daly who said we had to keep the business in town. So on the 8th of December, the traditional Christmas shopping day, we developed the concept of 10% discounts in the town which took off in a huge way and was so successful that other towns copied and pasted the idea. 

‘The next generation happened to be taking over from parents businesses around that time and had a forward thinking attitude, and out of necessity they put on their thinking caps, looked around corner and decided to be leaders and I think we’re benefitting from that today.’

It hasn’t obviously all been plain sailing obviously with the town hit by several serious flood incidents. 

‘I finished as mayor in June 2012, and the following week the terrible flood came and caused devastation to the town. But again the community came together, helped to keep the businesses open, a real Meitheal, put their shoulders to the wheel and kept the town alive.’

The flood protection scheme he said has been a ‘real good news story’ for the town, but further infrastructural issues need to be addressed for it to continue to prosper. 

‘It would appear to me that right now there’s an absence of joined up thinking. Infrastructure and transport is a huge issue, with lots of housing developments on the western side of the town, and education facilities on the eastern side,’ he pointed out, adding that further investment is needed in educational facilities due to the rising population. 

A relief road is  also greatly needed even if won’t happen overnight.  

Living on the Old Timoleague Road, he’s married to Kenmare woman Anne, a retired primary teacher in St Joseph’s NS. 

They’re parents to Ethel, a teacher in St Joseph’s; Áine a pharmacist in Galway and Eoin, a landscaping contractor in Clon. 

What has been John’s motivation to do so much for Clonakilty? 

‘I really just consider myself a good team player. I like to be part of something. Community and involvement are what drives me and are the antidote to the effects of lockdowns. Huge damage was done to society from Covid and the way to counteract that is to get people back interacting and to being actively involved in community because we need one another.’

Awards organiser Manus O'Callaghan commended John on his lifelong dedication to community service and his remarkable contributions to the area. 

‘John is a pillar of the Clonakilty community. I’m proud to offer him this Cork Person of the Month award as a token of appreciation for his work towards building a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere in the town,’ he said.

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John accepting his Person of the Month Award from the councilJohn Loughnan’s name will now go forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at the annual gala awards lunch in January 2027.